Welcome to Santa Maria Island

With many delightful courses in the Azores, pure coastal breeze from the Atlantic ocean, great fresh gastronomy and fantastic weather conditions, the Azores is a Golf Bliss for most golfers.

Portugal Golf - Azores

Santa Maria Description

Lying some 55 kilometres south of the main island is Ilha de Santa Maria which
is 18 kilometres in length and 9.5 kilometres wide. The main town is Vila do
Porto lying on the south coast and consists of one principal long street. Ilha
de Santa Maria lies to the south of the group Azores and enjoys the warmest
annual climate of all the islands. The population of about 6.000 are mainly
descendants from the south of Portugal, especially from the Algarve. The
inhabitants originally enjoyed an economic boom by growing "woad" which was then
exported to Europe for use in the dying of cloth. One of the features of this
island is that many houses have an outside bread oven attached to their houses
(which used to be also common to the Algarve). The inhabitants produced a
quality of bread that gave rise to a profitable trade with passing ships.

There are sandy beaches on the south coast and a peaceful countryside, both
providing a general relaxing atmosphere. On the west coast of the island is a
large airport (previously military), and constructed as a staging base by the
USA for use during the 2nd World War. On the north coast can be found a small
statue commemorating the brief visit of Christopher Columbus in 1493 on his
return journey after discovering the "New World". Close by this statue is a
chapel believed to be the oldest in the Azores.

There is a schedule of regular flights to Ilha de São Miguel and boats also
connect these two islands.